Australia gears up to recruit more skilled migrants

The Australian government is set to announce changes to the 457 visa system in order to attract more overseas workers.

Chris Bowen, the immigration minister, said a new accreditation
scheme for the foreign worker visas will begin next week, on 7 November.

“This will continue to ensure that the 457 program is responsive to
the economic cycle and provides a flexible avenue for employers to fill
immediate and short-term skill vacancies, while maintaining
opportunities and conditions for Australian workers,” Bowen said.

One state, Western Australia, saw its intake of 457 visa workers rise
85 per cent in July compared with the same month last year.

Bowen explained that part of this rise in numbers is due to improved
processing times.”Average processing times for 457 visa applications are
also 30 per cent lower than they were in 2006-07 – down from 31 to 22
days,” he said.”Our aim is to see 457 visas processed within 10 days.